Naberius: The Alternate Path
by Liam G
Summary: Auswählen was intended to restore the Quincy Emperor's power by taking it from those he deemed unclean. Instead, he awoke the power sealed in Masaki and Ichigo Kurosaki, forever changing the balance of power in the Underworld and the Afterlife.


**Disclaimer insert here: No, I do not own Bleach or High School DxD much to my disappointment.**

 **All OC characters are for entertainment value and for my use only. An M rating is for future violence, language, and of course if any adult situations should arise which warnings for such scenes will be given.**

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 **Response to Reviews Corner is located at the bottom of the chapter.**

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 **Original story concept: Okami Princess.**

 **Beta by regfurby.**

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"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

' _Memories_ '

" **Zangetsu and Lilith / Hollows speaking** "

 **XXXX**

"What are you watching for Aunt Merti?" Kimi Mai'ryl asks as she leans against the doorway of the dim lit room while studying the older Elf as she gazes into a pool of quicksilver.

The older woman doesn't take her eyes off the shimmering metallic surface as she motions her niece to enter. "I am checking on our Lord's granddaughter. He has had an uneasy feeling as of late that something is not right in the world around her or his great-grandchildren, Kimi. It is why I asked for you and Nia to be at my side. In case we have to help her."

Kimi shares a look with her best friend, Nia Arabi'lylth, whose parents died trying to kill a stray Devil a century before. Most Devils confuse the two young Elves as twins as their looks mirror one-another except for their eyes. Kimi has her mother's sea-blue eyes while her friend's eyes are dark violet. The two younger women sit on the bed speaking to each other in human sign language until the older woman cries out in shock.

"No!" Leaping to her feet; Merti's hand snaps out, and a small swallow forms in a burst of light before flying away. "Kimi, Nia; we are leaving now!"

The younger women rush to the side of the standing older Elf as a circle of red light and glyphs forms in the center of the room before engulfing them and flashing, leaving the room empty.

XXXX

"Ichigo! Get away from her! She isn't real!" Kurosaki Masaki screams as she runs towards her oldest child, her Spirit Bow having suddenly disintegrated leaving the woman weaponless and worse: defenseless.

Running as fast as she can, the light-brown haired woman throws her arms around her son just as the massive Hollow appears from behind the concrete retaining walls that hold the storm-ravaged river back. Towering high over the pair of spiritually aware humans, the mask of white bone morphs into a cruel smile as the beast speaks.

" **Such a delectable meal, I think I'll take you both back to Hueco Mundo with me; I'll eat the child first and you woman, you I'll take my time with… you'll amuse me for a few hours before I consume you! HAHAHAHA!** "

Masaki squeezes her eyes shut; the Hollow's words fill her with bitterness and sorrow as she realizes that her son will soon be dead and she will hopefully follow, since no one is around to save her and her… quiet child?'

"Ichigo?" Masaki's orbs snap open to stare at the closed eyes of her son, not bothering to turn and face the spikes from the still laughing Hollow racing for her unprotected back. Ichigo seems to have fainted from the shock, and her arms tighten more protectively around him.

'Perhaps it is a good thing he won't feel it.' Masaki thinks as she closes her eyes and braces herself for their deaths.

XXXX

Kurosaki Ichigo, age eight, feels like he is dreaming after his mother had tackled him to the ground as the white-masked creature revealed itself, the small girl he thought he was saving shown to be nothing more than a lure attached to the cruel and murderous beast. As he listens to the creature speaking of how it plans on killing him and his mother, he hears his mother's frantic screams for him fading as he hears a soothing voice belonging to someone else, a voice in his head. Desperate, he reaches out for the voice as he closes his eyes; he didn't want to see the creature taunting his mother.

"Help us please!" His voice cracks with fear.

" **Open your eyes, my young Lord.** " The gentle voice requests of him. " **You don't have to fear, Lord Ichigo, you are unharmed for the moment, and will stay unharmed.** "

Opening his eyes as instructed, Ichigo automatically focuses on the unusual young woman who is kneeling in front of him. At first, he doesn't understand what he is looking at, but as he takes in the woman features, he knows he should feel frightened of the person smiling at him. Instead, he feels safe, just like he does when he is with his mother. Looking at the stranger, he notices right away that her skin is a dark shade of red, while her dress is bright crimson as are the boots peeking out from under the hem. Bright yellow eyes and dark blue hair stand out in stark contrast to the dominant redness.

"Where am I? Where is Kaa-chan!?" Ichigo shouts when he doesn't see his mother with them.

" **She is safe for now Lord Ichigo, however you must protect her; only you can help her. I can show you how if you will allow me to assist you.** "

"How!? That monster is…"

" **I will guide you only if you take my hand. Please, my Lord, take my hand so I can protect you.** " The strange woman pleads as she stretches her hand towards him. " **I can only help you if we are touching; you have to unseal your powers first.** "

"My powers…?" The small orange-haired child asks as he reaches out tentatively for her hand. "What's gonna happen to Kaa-chan?"

" **You will save her, Ichigo Naberius.** " The woman intones solemnly as her hand meets his in a firm grip. " **You have taken your first step into becoming who you are meant to be.** "

XXXX

"We're not gonna make it!" The purple-haired woman shouts as she and her companion of over a hundred and fifty plus years race towards the Karakura River.

"We'll make it!" Urahara Kisuke yells back to his friend and former Captain, Shihōin Yoruichi.

Reaching the business district nearest the river, both former Onmitsukidō stop short when a tower of red and black suddenly explodes skywards into the raging storm clouds overhead. Cruel laughter fills the air between the claps of thunder as a scarred-faced figure looms from within the middle of the column of Reiatsu and unknown energy. The pair exchange shocked and contemplative looks before they continue to Shunpo towards where they had felt the fading Reiatsu of Masaki Kurosaki.

'Has it started already?' Kisuke wonders as he sneaks a look at his partner, seeing the grim determination on Yoruichi's face as she races next to him.

Appearing on the sidewalk overlooking the river bank, the two exiled Shinigami again halt their progression when they see who is releasing the skyscraper of Reiatsu.

"What is going on Kisuke!? How is he doing that!?" Yoruichi stares wide-eyed at the source of that incredible power.

The blonde-haired Shinigami can only look on in wordless wonder and intrigue at seeing Shiba Isshin's oldest child, Kurosaki Ichigo standing in front of his mother and holding back the Hollow that is twenty times his size and weight with dozens of chains that extend from his back, the cruel black metal grappling with and crushing the struggling corrupt soul. Each time the Hollow tries to attack the small child with a spike of speeding fur, another chain would appear and rip the weapon out by its roots causing the masked-creature to scream in pain and outrage.

"Kisuke! What. Is. Going. On. With. Ichigo!?" Yoruichi again demands of her friend, nearly crushing his arm with her grip, only for her and then Kisuke to suddenly find black chains shooting out from the ground and binding them in an inescapable grip. The pair of Shinigami struggle a bit and are shocked when there is absolutely no give in the chains.

"You know who that child is Shinigami?" A musical voice asks from behind the trapped pair; turning her head, Yoruichi finds herself staring into a pair of twin milky-white orbs.

The Shihōin nearly sags in disbelief at the fact that not only had she failed to sense this woman, but both she and Kisuke had been captured by what seems to be a blind woman. Sighing in defeat, she decides to answer this woman honestly for now. "The boy's name is Kurosaki Ichigo. He is our friend's oldest child. The woman is his mother, Kurosaki…"

"I am afraid that her family name is not Kurosaki as she has been led to believe, Shinigami." The blind woman interrupts her. "Her family's true name is a much older name, one she will learn of as soon as our Lord finishes disposing of that disgusting animal." Disturbingly enough, she seems to be watching the scene unfolding on the river bank despite her lack of sight.

Kisuke, who had simply observed their exchange without speaking a word, watches in growing curiosity as a number of small glowing circles pop into existence next to, in front of and around the struggling child and the Hollow that is slowly turning the tide of the stalemate into its favor.

XXXX

Ichigo keeps listening to the strange woman's voice in his head, doing everything that she tells him to do. His young body cannot keep it up however as he is already sweating heavily from the overuse of his newfound powers.

"I can't hold on much longer!" The young boy cries out as his left leg falters from the strain.

" **Worry not Lord Ichigo; they are here.** " The voice reassures him.

"Who!? Who's here!?" Ichigo shouts as his knee finally gives out and his chains begin to falter.

" **Your great-grandfather.** "

"What…?"

" **Got you now brat!** " Grand Fisher screams as he tears himself free from the burning chains and launches himself at the child, murder in his eyes.

"Not quite Hollow." A young man's voice sounds out as three women appear in front of Ichigo and shield him from the attacker with dozens of black metal chains, the burning metal tearing into the Hollow's flesh and pinning his screaming body to the ground.

Ichigo and Masaki turn their heads to the voice that spoke out from behind them; a pale vision tugs at the memory of the weakened Quincy mother when she gazes upon the man's face. Standing behind her and her son is a man whose appearance is in his late twenties, his hair a shade darker than her son's and his amber orbs a close match to her eye color. What shocks Masaki the most is that he is radiating an energy similar to what her son has just been releasing, an energy that she had no idea her son possessed. The second surprise comes when multiple numbers of light blue flamed chains surge from his body and race forward to join with those already ensnaring the struggling Hollow.

"Akiko, Daiki, please escort my granddaughter and great-grandson to our home as Merti, Kimi, Nia and I deal with this Hollow."

"G-Granddaughter!?"

Stunned by his words, Masaki barely feels the arm slipping under her legs and around her waist before she finds herself being lifted. When she looks to see who is helping her, she becomes even more shocked at seeing who, or rather what is carrying her.

"Are… are you real?" Masaki stutters out. Before her is a legend from Japanese folklore, a myth so deeply ingrained in their culture that it is almost synonymous with Japan.

"I am a Kyūbi no Kitsune, Lady Naberius." The red-furred woman remarks as she joins a man wearing black Gi who is carrying a wide-eyed Ichigo. "We'll explain everything after Lord Naberius executes the Hollow and returns to the Estate."

XXXX

Grand Fisher has lived a long time by being sneaky and resourceful, devouring Spiritually rich souls over the decades without being detected by Soul Society. The few Shinigami that had found him in the past were too weak to stand against him and they too were added to the souls fueling his insatiable hunger. Tonight, he had found and stalked another two Spiritually rich souls and had been about to enjoy his feast when the orange-haired brat took him by surprise by unleashing a storm of Reiatsu that he had never before experienced. Shocked but not deterred, Grand Fisher chose to wait out the stormy display of power, his mind gone into overdrive thinking about how sweet the boy's soul would taste once he could finally devour him, only to be attacked by flaming chains the moment the storm of Reiatsu began to die down.

Outraged by the seemingly flamboyant attack, he had tried to grab one of the chains only to discover that the blue flames encasing them were not for show, they were the hottest flames he had ever felt in his life, both living and dead. Screaming in pain and anger, his fury only grew as the attacks continued and scores of burn wounds began to litter his body with nothing to show for it, leaving him with a diminishing opportunity to kill the woman and boy before he figured the resident Shinigami would show up to save them. So, he had attacked with all of his dwindling Reiatsu in a last-ditch effort to overpower the chains and strike at the boy, and he had almost succeeded! The boy had fallen! But that was when he felt the air shimmering around him and his instincts screamed at him to run, but he wanted the boy, the boy with the powerful and delicious soul who had done what no Shinigami had done up to that point and wound him, he wanted the woman who stared at the boy in amazement and some fear. He wanted them!

And now he was screaming in true pain as numerous burning chains held him in place, the man before him flanked by two young and furious looking women who were staring at him in disgust as their flames burned much hotter and brighter than the boy's flames had.

" **What are you!?** " Grand Fisher screams out in horror as his body begins to disintegrate from the intense heat.

"I am surprised you have not heard of me Hollow. I thought for sure the purifying Hellfires of our Hell Chains would have been a rather easy clue for your twisted mind to recognize." The man says as he walks closer to him. "If you don't know, then I will indulge you, Hollow. I am Amyntas Naberius: Guardian of the Damned, Keeper of the Skeleton Tower and the Watcher of the Gates of Hell. I am a Devil."

 **'Devil…** ' The terrified Hollow thrashes even more furiously, attempting to deny the reality before him. " **Y-You lie! It's not possible… Devils are just Western myths… made up by…** "

The self-proclaimed Devil's eyes narrow almost imperceptibly. "Oh, I assure you Hollow, we do exist. You'll soon find out once you are residing in my domain. Yes, Grand Fisher, I can see your soul among those you have devoured, you died with a great sin staining you. How you managed to become the dominant entity doesn't matter to me, for as soon as the Shinigami purify you, I will collect what is mine."

" **S-Shinigami?** "

Grand Fisher feels a stinging pain slicing through his mask before a blonde-haired man wearing the strangest of clothes flashes into existence next to the Devils holding his chained body.

"Sorry, Hollow-san, but we need to finish this quickly, so goodbye and good luck."

Grand Fisher screams as he feels the souls he has consumed over the decades rushing to escape his dominion over them. Each fleeing soul turns into a white butterfly before fluttering away to find their way to Soul Society or back into the Cycle of Life. As the last soul escapes, his monstrous body collapses into Reishi, leaving behind a human soul that hangs before the Shinigami and the Devils; his head rolls sluggishly towards the man that claims to be the Guardian of the Damned and a laugh escapes his smirking lips as he feels himself slowly ascending.

" **Looks like I'm gonna be going to Soul Society, Devil.** " Grand Fisher sneers, his original name forgotten even to him after so many years of existing as a Hollow.

The blonde Shinigami standing next to the Devil slowly sheathes his blade while looking at something behind Grand Fisher. "I do believe you are wrong on that account."

" **What?** " The damned soul gasps as a large blade suddenly pierces his soul body, and he fearfully turns his head to witness the myth of what happens to humans who die with sin. " **NO! I can't be damned! I didn't do anything! NOOO!** "

Amyntas Naberius watches the struggling soul as it is dragged backwards by the scarred hand and arm towards the reddish stone gates that lead straight to Hell. "I am afraid that you have, Sinner. The Kushanāda would not appear otherwise. As I have said before, I shall see you soon. We will have a long conversation in regards to your actions tonight."

" **Noo! Fuck you!** " The Sinner screams as he struggles in vain to escape his fate, his hands bleeding as they attempt to pry the blade from his chest. His eyes widen in horror as he moves ever closer to his final destination. " **No! No! NOOOOO!** "

Neither Devil nor Shinigami move or speak as the man is dragged into the black void of the closing Gates of Hell. As the doors slam shut with a final boom and the structure crumbles away, the Devil male speaks to the younger Elves still standing with him.

"Kimi, Nia, return to the Estate with Akiko and Daiki, we have little time before the Still Silver does irreparable harm to Masaki. Sasha, Merti, find the Ishida Family and escort them to the Estate; if Sōken's prediction has come true, then there are other Quincy suffering the same fate as my granddaughter, bring them if they are still alive."

"Yes, Lord Naberius." Those commanded by him reply before they each disappear in circles of magic.

Kisuke waits patiently until Yoruichi rejoins him and the Devil, but when she does, she immediately glares at the orange-haired Devil. "Who the hell are you!? Where did you take Masaki and Ichigo!?"

Kisuke grabs his friend quickly before she can do anything rash. "Yori, I don't think you can beat this person. If he is who he claims to be, he outclasses you and me both even if we work together."

"What!? You can't be serious Kisuke, who the hell is he!?"

"Hell is correct, Princess." The former Squad Twelve Captain answers her in a deadpan voice. "The Naberius Clan is one of the Seventy-Two Pillars of the Underworld. They are the wardens for the Sinners, and he is their leader."

Yoruichi's golden orbs widen in shock, and she looks between the blonde-haired scientist and the Devil. "You...you knew about this? Why didn't you say something before!?"

Lord Amyntas maintains a calm expression, though he gives Kisuke a knowing nod. "You are very well informed as to who we are Kisuke Urahara; I can only assume that you share some of the same sources of information that know of us, just as we know of you. For that, I will allow you and your companion to accompany my Peerage and me back to the Underworld after I have secured my granddaughter's husband - Shiba Isshin - and my great-granddaughters. I have long wanted to meet the Shinigami who married Masaki after I had arranged for her to marry Ryūken Ishida."

"We need to inform our other comrade of our departure if you don't mind, Lord Amyntas?" Kisuke asks him with uncharacteristic politeness.

The Devil Lord gives him a curt nod. "Be quick about it; meet us at the Kurosaki Clinic in ten minutes. If you are not there, you will be left behind." With those words, a magic circle forms under the Devils and they disappear as well.

"Kisuke, you have until we get to Isshin's to explain what the hell is going on or so help me, I will string you up and dump you at Shaolin's feet back in Soul Society." The purple-haired woman growls as she and Kisuke begin to Shunpo towards the shouten to let Tessai know that they are leaving for an unspecified amount of time.

The scientist sighs as he removes his bucket hat and keeps pace with his friend. "I don't even know where to begin Yoruichi. I only found out about them by accident when I ran into the ruler of Kyoto, the Kyūbi no Kitsune Yasaka…"

XXXX

Ryūken's face is still filled with disbelief as he stares at the being speaking to his father - Sōken - while sitting next to his comatose wife. Less than thirty minutes before, he had been in his study going over the Hospital's financials when he heard his wife's agonizing screams.

XXXX Flashback Starts XXXX

Rushing to his and his wife's shared bedroom, Ryūken had found his father standing outside the room looking in, his hands shaking in tight fists as Kanae lay on the floor surrounded by a column of white light and convulsing in agony. Calling her name, Ryūken had tried to enter the room, but his father blocked his path with one arm extended and words spoken in anger.

"Stop! The Emperor has deemed her and all the Gemischt Quincy unworthy Ryūken, you can't touch her until the Auswählen has finished stealing their Quincy abilities. I'm sorry Son, but if you were to touch her now, you might die as well."

Helplessly watching as his wife fully lost consciousness, Ryūken started to dial for an ambulance to get her transported to the hospital when Sōken took the phone from his hand and hung up the call.

"What are you doing Father!? She needs help!" He shouted at Sōken in anger.

The older man had only glared at him with uncharacteristic harshness. "Help is on its way Ryūken, make sure Uryū is ready to leave when I say so."

Stunned, he had tried to question his father further, but Sōken ignored him and made his way downstairs as the doorbell rang. He was about to call for the staff to help answer the door, but in that moment, he remembered his father's words, and realized his entire staff had been Gemischt. Fists gripped tightly enough to draw blood, he had immediately searched room after room in the house, but his worst fears were confirmed: none of his staff had survived the purge, their deaths were only confirmed by how silent the house had become. Returning to his wife's side, he could only hold her in his arms and feel her pulse growing weaker and weaker; when his father had finally returned to their bedroom, he had been ready to demand an explanation, only to notice the two hooded women following behind his father.

"Who are they Sōken!?" He remembered demanding from the older man, propriety and respect be damned.

The women then removed their cloaks, and Ryūken was shocked when he saw their features. Large almond shaped eyes were surrounded by elegant tanned and noble faces, but what caused him to believe he was hallucinating were the pointed ears sticking out from under their hair.

His father spoke to the two women. "My daughter-in-law and grandson are the only ones who survived the purge, but she will die soon if we don't remove the Still Silver from her."

One of the two pointy-eared women turned to Sōken. "We will leave as soon as members of the Naberius Clan arrive to prepare Kanae Ishida for transportation to the Estate. Do you wish for us to take care of the other..?"

Ryūken had snapped at the woman who had spoken. "No! They were important members of my household! I won't allow you to desecrate their bodies!"

A sudden pressure made him take an unconscious step back, and he had looked at the other woman only to realize she was staring at him with milky white orbs for her eyes. Now that his attention was focused on her, he also noticed her expression reflected agitation, which was only confirmed when she spoke to him. "If you had allowed us to finish speaking first Doctor Ishida, we were going ask to make arrangements to have your staff buried in a private cemetery so no questions would arise as to how they died. We would never dispose of innocents in any other manner. Now, do you wish for our Clan to make the arrangements or not Ryūken Ishida?"

Suddenly deprived of his anger, he had sat down heavily next to his wife and nodded his head once, watching numbly as his father turned to speak to the women to discuss preparing the transportation of the bodies of his loyal staff for burial.

XXXX Flashback End XXXX

"Son, I need you to move."

Ryūken's bloodshot eyes focus on his father's face before he reluctantly releases Kanae and stands up, moving away from his unmoving wife. He watches as four women dressed as maids surround his wife and then…

"Sōken, what the hell is going on!? Who are these people!?" He shouts as Kanae is suddenly levitated off the bed and a stretcher is slid under her, his Quincy bow snapping into existence in his hand reflexively.

Sōken simply glares at him until he dismisses the bow, albeit reluctantly. "All in good time Son, all in good time. I know you have questions, but time is of the essence. Sasha-san, Uryū is asleep in the room two doors down on the left, I believe it would be best not to wake him."

Ryūken tries to ask his father what they are going to do with his son, but he is interrupted when the emerald-eyed woman speaks. "We are ready, Lady Masaki is stable and conscious, however Beelzebub Maou says we must hurry as the Still Silver is causing greater harm than we predicted."

"Masaki?" The younger Ishida glares at his father, his patience coming to an end. "What does Masaki have to do with this? Father, you will tell me now what is going on!"

"Your wife is dying Doctor Ishida, and we are the only ones who can save her. Your cousin is much in the same state. That is what is going on. Now carry your son, we are leaving." The woman with emerald eyes tells him bluntly as she motions towards the bed, before turning to the maids. "We will leave from the family room."

"Yes Merti." The maid in charge says as she and her companions leave the room with Kanae floating on the stretcher between them.

Stunned by the rebuke and dismissal, Ryūken watches as Sōken takes Uryū from the arms of the cloudy-eyed woman who had brought him out from his room, before turning to hand him his sleeping son. Feeling like his world has been completely flipped onto its head, Ryūken carefully takes Uryū from his father's arms before following his father and the strangers downstairs, cradling his sleeping son as protectively as he can. Once they are assembled in the large family room, Sōken suddenly touches his arm and gives him a command that startles him.

"I am going to take your Cross, Ryūken. I don't want you to do something that you might regret later."

Hesitating, then nodding stiffly, Ryūken watches his father unclasp the medallion from around his wrist and place it in his pants' pocket before turning to the milky-eyed woman who seems to be in charge. "We are ready Sasha."

The blind woman gives a slight tilt of her head in understanding before turning away. Before he can ask his father what is going on, he feels a hand gently taking hold of his arm and a musical voice speaking to him from his side. "The first time for anyone traveling to the Underworld by magic can be an unpleasant feeling, Doctor Ishida, I will ensure that you don't fall when we arrive."

"...Underworld?"

The woman just smiles as she pulls him closer to her body. "It is where we live Doctor Ishida. Please hold on to your son tightly, we are leaving now."

Ryūken's eyes widen when the floor beneath him and the others glows a bright yellow and then all he sees is a flash of bright light.

XXXX

Isshin glances up when he sees the center of the marble floor of the great domed-room they are standing in glowing brightly. He, Kisuke, Yoruichi and his sleeping twin daughters are still waiting to find out who these beings are and where they have brought him and the others to. Just as before, the large three-headed Cerberus... Cerberi... Hell Hounds in the dome with them stand to their feet and watch intently as a group fully appears out of the magic circle. The large beasts then quickly settle back on their hind legs, apparently recognizing those who just arrived. Looking at the newcomers, Isshin watches as a tall woman motions towards the Cerberus that had introduced itself to them as Kane, who approaches the Elven woman and listens to her before bowing his head once. They and the other women carrying a stretcher bearing a familiar-looking woman between them then disappear in yet another magic circle, while another Hell Hound escorts the remaining members of the group - who turn out to be Ryūken with his young son in his arms and Sōken - towards the group of Shinigami exiles.

"Ryūken, Sōken." Isshin says lamely as the two Quincy join them. "Fancy seeing you here."

The younger of the two Ishida men glares at the group of Shinigami as he reaches them; shifting his sleeping son in his arms, he turns his heated glare upon the one man he assumes knows what is going on. "What and who are these people Urahara-san? Are they yet more complications due to your exile that somehow manage to involve my family…again?"

Stepping forward and shaking his head as he answers the angry Quincy, Kisuke gestures at something behind the younger man. "I believe we are all about to find out what is going on Ishida-sensei."

Twisting his head around, Ryūken takes an unconscious step back from the group of beings approaching them. Resisting the urge to take off his glasses and wipe them, the retired Quincy shakes his head and blinks his eyes rapidly a few times to see if something is in them, before staring at the group and wondering if he is under the influence of some kind of mind-altering drug or possibly even Kidō.

The leader of the group approaching the waiting group of Shinigami and Quincy is a woman wearing a loose robe that exposes her red-furred limbs, including the nine fox tails trailing around her body as she steps towards them gracefully with her arm slipped through the arm of a man wearing a black set of Gi, with cat-like ears and a black cat's tail swishing behind him. Following them are several myths from Western religions and fairy tales: two Sphinxes, two Griffins of European mythology, and others whose origins Ryūken is unable to deduce. Thankfully, several other members of the approaching group appear to be human, but even from this distance he can feel the brimming power in each and every one of them.

Stopping before them, the nine-tailed woman addresses them in an elegant voice. "Welcome to the Underworld and to our Lord's home. I am Akiko Kimura; I am the Queen of Lord Amyntas's Peerage. This is my…"

"I don't care about who you are! What I want to know is where is my wife!?" Ryūken suddenly shouts at the woman, his fraying patience finally snapping due to his emotional state of mind. "Take me to her now!"

"O-Otou-san..?" A small boy's voice stops the older Quincy from saying anything more as he turns his attentions to the waking young child in his arms.

"Shhh, Uryū, go back to sleep."

Waiting until his son falls back asleep, he raises his head up to speak again but is forced back a step when he sees a younger version of the red-furred woman standing in his face. Before he can do anything, the woman waves a hand over his child's head.

"There, young Uryū will sleep through any more of your shouting Doctor Ishida. If you had given my Mother time to finish speaking, she was about to inform you that we are here to escort you and Captain Shiba to see your spouses. Now, are you ready to listen without interruptions or do you want us to keep you here in wait until we are done saving them?"

"S-saving them? From what?" Ryūken stutters out in shock.

"I told you Son, from the Emperor's selection." Sōken suddenly speaks up, causing the entire group to turn towards the oldest Quincy. "He has taken back his power from those Quincy he deems expendable, mainly the Gemischt. Masaki was also included in the Auswählen because of what happened to her when she saved Isshin." The oldest Ishida then bows to the younger white-furred Kitsune. "Forgive my son; as you can see, he is under a great deal of stress. He doesn't know who your Lord is as I was forbidden to speak of him when he brought Masaki to me as a child. However, I believe the events of tonight have made that secret's necessity void."

Frowning slightly, the younger Kitsune gives him a slight nod of her head. "As long as he remains calm from this moment forward Ishida-san, your son is forgiven. If you wouldn't mind, please take your grandson, and I and my mother will take our Lord's great-granddaughters to their rooms. My father will escort the rest of your group to Lady Masaki and your daughter-in-law. Beelzebub Maou was able to stabilize them until we can all work to save them."

Ryūken shares a look with an equally unhappy-looking Isshin, but both men grudgingly relent to the young woman's request by handing over their sleeping children. Watching as Sōken and the two Kitsune women leave with Uryū and the twins, Ryūken leans over to the Shinigami who had married his distant cousin. "You have any idea of what the hell is going on?"

"I asked Kisuke the same thing and the bastard just answered me cryptically, saying ' _Hell_ ' is exactly what is going on. I punched him afterwards, much good it did me." The self-exiled Shinigami replies just as quietly as he and the retired Quincy study the cat-eared male who is approaching them.

"I am Daiki Kimura; I am Lord Amyntas's Rook, and a Nekomata. As my daughter has already told you, I will now take you to your wives."

With that, Ryūken and the Shinigami find themselves being enveloped by magic once again.

XXXX

Staring at the static filled screen, wine-colored eyes try to understand what he has just witnessed. The events predicted by his confederate did not play out as expected, nor did he have any notion as to what had terminated the recording just when the Hollow revealed itself. Releasing a sigh of frustration as he begins to formulate a believable lie, the silver-haired Shinigami stands up but pauses as he turns to look at the screen one last time.

'Well, this will certainly change the game.'

XXXX

Many of the servants nervously share looks of uneasiness as their Queen returns to her realm; the laughter she emits causes many of them to wonder what Amaterasu Ōmikami-sama had done during her brief visit to Soul Society.

XXXX

Isshin stares at the group of beings surrounding his wife and Ryūken's wife who are lying on separate altars. The moment he had seen Masaki lying there unmoving, he had tried to force his way to her side only to have a red-haired man with a foreign accent block his way.

"You cannot enter the circle of magic Isshin Shiba, to do so would only corrupt the spell in place from functioning correctly. Please, stand along the wall and do not interfere with our healing, if you try, you may end up killing her and Kanae Ishida." The foreign man had advised him.

Wanting to argue with the man, Isshin had suddenly found himself staring into a pair of glowing emerald eyes. "If I have to hold you back with Hell Chains Isshin Shiba, I will do so. Now, stand there and do not interfere. We will not allow you to risk the life of our Lord's granddaughter or her cousin's wife."

'Granddaughter? Who is their Lord?' Isshin is about to ask when he feels the hair on his arm standing on end as five new individuals enter the room, the power that the five beings are emitting as they make their way to the two altars is palpable even in his distracted state. Backing away warily, he sees that none of them pay him any attention as they walk up to the two incapacitated women.

"Kisuke?" The former Squad Ten Captain questions angrily as he leans towards the exiled Shinigami standing next to him. "What is going on!? And don't give me that crap about 'Hell' being exactly what is going on!"

The blonde-haired Shinigami just tilts his head towards Isshin, his face deadly serious for once. "Isshin, I can only say this: if Masaki's grandfather is who he claims to be, your life and that of your family's will change drastically, but they will be saved. I'm sorry, but at this time I think it would be best if we do nothing but watch. Sōken Ishida also seems to know more about who these beings are, more than I do at any rate."

Before either man can speak further, the man with burnt-orange-hair and hazel eyes starts to speak. "I know many of you have questions, but those questions must and will wait until we are done here. Saving the lives of my granddaughter Masaki and her cousin's wife Kanae Ishida are our only goals as of this moment. Let us begin. Beelzebub Maou, if you please."

The messy green-haired man beside him speaks up. "Of course, Amyntas. Akiko, Hanako, I will need you to lend me the power you inherited from your Mother. Merti, Sasha, Tatiana, Kimi, Nia, I will need you to add your elemental magic to my magic. Amyntas, you and your Peerages will anchor the spell by driving your Hell Chains into the glyphs surrounding the altars. We cannot stop until the Still Silver has been completely removed from their bodies. We will begin now."

After the being they called Beelzebub Maou takes his place at the head of the two unconscious women, the two nine-tailed Kitsune join him at his opposite sides. Isshin's eyes grow wide when flickering lights begin to cover each of the Kitsune's forms, the mother standing at his wife's feet, her daughter standing at Kanae's feet, and the light around them growing brighter and brighter until actual flames burst forth and completely engulf their bodies. The five dark-skinned women with pointed ears on the other hand stand spread out equally around the two altars, several black chains seemingly forming out of thin air behind them, and each chain stabbing downward into one of the glyphs around the two altars. Isshin stares in awe as lightning, fire, water and other elements from the magical world race down the links of the chains, causing two more large glyphs to form separately beneath Masaki and Kanae.

Mere seconds afterwards, every being but four around them emit black chains from their backs and drive them into the glyphs surrounding the outer circle of magic.

"I will now draw out the Still Silver." Beelzebub intones as he stands between the two women, extending a hand over each of their chests.

Isshin has no idea what the man is saying as violent light flashes over the Beelzebub Maou's hands and arms while he chants. He loses sense of time as he stares at his wife's semi-conscious body until he sees her begin to moan in pain. It is only Yoruichi's and Kisuke's quick response that keeps him from rushing to Masaki's side as she begins to thrash on the silk covered altar, next to Kanae who also begins violently reacting to the magic surround her body. Isshin sees Ryūken standing with white-knuckled fists, being held back by Sōken and another pointed-eared man, just as he is being held back by Yoruichi and Kisuke. As the Maou's voice drops lower in volume, so do his hands, until his hands are hovering just over the hearts of each of the thrashing bodies.

Isshin watches with rapt horror as the Devil's hands begin to lift up and a silvery metallic liquid bursts forth from Masaki's and Kanae's chests, following his hands up. Beelzebub Maou begins to back away from the two women, keeping his hands and the metallic blobs of liquid high in the air on either side of him until two Devil servants move quickly to his sides, each of them holding a bucket under the dangling and flowing masses of liquid. Still chanting, the Maou lowers his hands slowly and allows the liquid silver to flow into each bucket; when his hands dip below the rim, he stops chanting and closes his eyes as his demonic aura flares briefly around him, the two steady-eyed Devil servants and they buckets they are holding, before he opens his eyes and straightens up with a sigh, watching as the Naberius Devils in the room with him all visibly relax as well.

"It is done. They are safe from the Still Silver Amyntas."

Heart thudding in anticipation, Isshin looks to the two now completely still women, and he feels his shoulders sag in relief as he sees them inhale and start to breathe normally once again. He sees the orange-haired man named Amyntas walk up to Masaki's altar and bend down to kiss his wife on her forehead. "I should never have left you in the human world for your safety, dear granddaughter." Straightening up, the man then stares at the Shinigami and Quincy in the room before motioning for them to follow him.

"I know you wish to stay with your wives, but they will need to rest until next morning. In the meantime, we need to talk about what is going to change for each of you. Especially you, Isshin Shiba, now that my great-grandson has awakened his true power."

"Wait a damn minute! Who the hell are you!? Why do you keep calling Masaki your granddaughter, and what do you mean Ichigo, my son, is your great-grandson!?" Isshin's raw emotions finally overrides his usually patient mind as he demands an answer to all his questions.

The man called Amyntas suddenly turns towards him and as he does, pitch-black and gold armor forms over his body in an instant, burning blue orbs staring out from behind the newly-formed visor. " **As your compatriot already suspects, I am not human. I am Amyntas Naberius: Guardian of the Damned, Keeper of the Skeleton Tower and the Watcher of the Gates of Hell, and I am a Devil of the Underworld. Masaki Naberius is my granddaughter, and as of tonight, she is my direct heir. So are Ichigo and your twin daughters, Karin and Yuzu.** "

Isshin just gives him with a dumbfounded look. "Heirs? Heirs to what?"

" **An easy question to answer, Isshin Shiba: heirs to rule the Naberius Clan when their time comes. It is the Naberius who keep the Damned where they belong until the Hellfires of the Skeleton Tower burn their sins from their souls and deem them worthy to rejoin the Cycle of Life, and your wife and children are next in line to inherit that duty from me.** "

XXXX

Two brown orbs blink open slowly, the feeling of fingers threading through his hair stirs him from the unusual dream had been having about an evil white masked creature. The half-remembered image is enough for him to bolt wide awake and to look around frantically for the monster he now knows is real.

"W-where am I?" His frightened voice squeaks out once he looks around and realizes that he isn't in his room, or any room for that matter.

Instead, he finds himself lying in a clearing surrounded by a vast forest of trees. Looking at his surroundings with wide eyes, his eyes widen even more when he sees her sitting behind him. The woman who had spoken to him, instructed him on how to save his mother, and stood beside him as he fought against that monster. "You."

She gives him a gentle smile. " **Yes, Lord Ichigo, I am here with you. As I have always been. Both I and…** "

Ichigo stares at her. "Who?"

The woman looks sad for a moment, then she smiles as she spreads her arms and speaks to him again. " **I see, you are not yet ready to hear our names. Please sit with me my young lord, and I'll soon try and explain things to you as simply as I can when we can next speak. There is much we must talk about, but for today I wanted to see you again one more time before you meet your great-grandfather.** "

Obediently, he scoots closer to her. "Can…can you tell me where Kaa-chan is?"

" **She is safe now Lord Ichigo. You saved her.** " The red-skinned woman remarks as she lifts Ichigo into her lap and smiles down at him. " **You did very good using your Hell Chains today.** "

"What are those? Are those the weapon I used to save Kaa-chan?" The boy asks her inquisitively.

The yellow-eyed woman nods her head. " **Yes, they are. They are a part of you, as I am and as he is.** "

Ichigo sees her pointing, and his eyes follow her hand towards a tall black figure with a demonic-looking two-horned helmet standing motionless just a short distance away. He is about to scream until a finger is placed over his lips gently.

" **Shhh, Lord Ichigo. He will never hurt you. He is your other power, but he has yet to awaken. In time he will, and when you two finally meet, you will hopefully understand why he looks like that. That day is still years away, so for now you must rest. I shall speak to you again soon or when you need me, but for now it would be best for you to meet your new guardians.** "

Before Ichigo can speak, she waves her hands in front of his face and his vision fades into blackness. As his body fades away from their world, the red-skinned woman closes her eyes to hide her pain, then she takes a deep breath before standing up and turning to the silent and sleeping spirit behind her. Walking up to the black armored creature, she places one hand on the breastplate of the spirit and lays her head against his chest, her other arm snaking around his waist.

" **He will be strong Zangetsu-nii-sama. He has Lady Masaki's strength and his father's courage. I promise you this, I will keep him safe until it is your time to wake and take up your proper place beside us.** "

She tilts her head up and places her hand against the visor covering the sleeping face of her brother spirit, smiling until she remembers there is one last task for her to complete. Stepping away and moving past her older brother, she glares at the still struggling white-cloaked figure trapped under the weight and will of hundreds of Hell Chains. His strength unable to break him free from his cage. Walking up to the Quincy spirit, she glares down at him.

" **Your master failed, just as you did. Did you really think I would allow you to kill him? Take him from us!? Now DIE FOR YOUR ARROGANCE!** "

Blue flames erupt along the length of the Hell Chains, slowly incinerating the trapped and bellowing spirit in a fiery cage of death. As his body dissolves under the weight of the vengeful heated metal, the red-skinned woman captures the Quincy spirit's essence within her body as she spreads her arms wide and absorbs his ashes. Finally, the last of his power is drawn into the woman, nothing remaining of the Quincy spirit's body but the now disappearing metal.

" **Your power will one day aid us when it comes to the time for our Lord to claim your soul…Yhwach, God Emperor of the Quincy.** "

XXXX

AN: This is the first chapter of the alternate version of Naberius Heir. So, before you review, I'll explain a few things.

Yes, this will be a harem story. No, I won't be taking suggestions of who should be in the harem. I already have a solid list of who will be in it. I will not give any hint as to who will become part of the harem until it is obvious. Some I already know a few of you will hate, but they are who I want to be in it. I have always wanted to write Ichigo being involved with certain characters, so this is my chance. This story will probably span the entirety of Bleach and most of the DxD plot with deviation as needed, so this could be a very long story. Lastly, Masaki will be playing a major part in Ichigo's life and Ichigo will not be that naïve young man by the time canonical timeline begins.


End file.
